Use env variable to disable clearConsole (#2495)

[lumio]

This PR allows disabling clearConsole by providing the env variable DEBUG (suggested here and here).

How this works?

create-react-app my-app
cd my-app
DEBUG=1 yarn start
# or: DEBUG=1 npm start

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[gaearon]

There's no need to start it with REACT_APP_ because you aren't going to read it from your app.

I'm hesitant to add an extra variable just for this. Are there more similar things people who want this usually want? Or maybe there's some existing conventional env variable other tools already use for this?

[lumio]

@gaearon sounds legit.
Usually it is meant for a more verbose output so I would suggest to rename it to DEBUG or VERBOSE

[mgmeyers]

Using the name DEBUG seems very generic for a very specific task: disabling this package's console clearing functionality. And, not that it's the job of this package to play nicely with others, using DEBUG would conflict with the popular debug package.

It would be ideal to be able to disable this functionality without any side effects, in which case using a prefix like REACT_APP_ would make sense. Something like REACT_APP_PRESERVE_CONSOLE is pretty verbose (I'm sure there's a shorter name), but also very specific and intentional.

[lumio]

It doesn’t really need to be a short name as it probably will be set only within package.json.

And obviously this is just a minor behavioral change. I wouldn’t overthink it too much.

I personally don’t mind both suggestions. What I’d suggest is setting up a more generic variable with a REACT_APP_ prefix. Like REACT_APP_VERBOSE. That way similar behavioural changes can make use of the same env variable. It is clear what was intended, yet generic enough so others might use it for their own changes.

What do you think?

[mgmeyers]

Sounds reasonable! 👍

[viankakrisna]

there is a way to achieve the same functionality for people that wanted this right now, #2495 (comment)

[angusfretwell]

Environment variables prefixed with REACT_APP_ can be embedded during build time, so the variable name probably shouldn't use that prefix. Also note that none of the other configuration variables use the prefix.

[ghost]

Any news on this?

Please can we add REACT_APP_NO_CLEAR_CONSOLE env var. Using Windows, OSX, Linux is a nightmare!

[lumio]

You can do the following trick: #2495 (comment)
Not sure about Windows though

[stale]

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[stale]

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